


all is calm

by awildcur



Series: Coco and Soledad [2]
Category: Mayans M.C. (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29705676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awildcur/pseuds/awildcur
Summary: It's Christmastime in Santo Padre, and Coco and Soledad start getting even closer.
Relationships: Johnny "Coco" Cruz/Original Character(s), Johnny "Coco" Cruz/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Coco and Soledad [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2182863
Kudos: 3





	all is calm

The Santo Padre sun still shines brightly in December. When she dressed in the morning, Soledad had added a light sweater before leaving the house. It was enough for the chill of the morning air, but was soon ripped off and tied around her waist come noon. She keeps moving too much, decorating the flower shop for Christmas in between customers.

When there’s a lull in the middle of the day, Soledad lets Letty take over and grabs the two mini tabletop Christmas trees she made – one for Felipe and one for the owner of the panadería next to her. She drops off their gifts, bringing a touch of holiday cheer to their shops and chats with each of them for a moment. When she heads back to her own place of business, Soledad notes the bike that’s now parked out front.

“ _You call this a Christmas tree?”_ she hears as she enters the shop. She looks at Coco to find him sizing the tree up and down, a clear look of judgment across his face.

Letty rolls her eyes. “Yeah, what’s wrong with it?”

“It don’t got no ornaments or nothin’,” Coco protests as he gestures at the tree in question, decorated top to bottom in sunflowers. “There’s just flowers all over it.”

“Did you forget what I’m sellin’ here, Johnny?” Soledad pipes up, alerting them to her arrival.

Father and daughter both look over their shoulder at her. Letty turns to her and crosses her arms.

“He doesn’t like it,” she says.

“I didn’t say that!” Coco quickly responds. He looks between Letty and Soledad. “S’just… I ain’t never seen a Christmas tree like this.”

“Learn to broaden your horizons, maybe?”

“Okay,” Soledad laughs, interrupting Letty’s quip. She puts her hands on her shoulders, saying, “Letty, why don’t you go ahead and take your lunch break, yeah?”

“Sure, Sol.” Letty removes her work apron and places it behind the counter. “I’ll be back in a few,” she says and heads out.

After Letty leaves, Soledad leans against the counter and tilts her head at Coco. “So. You don’t like my tree?” she questions.

Her tone is playful but Coco rolls his eyes – and Soledad can clearly see where Letty gets it from. “It’s a nice tree. Jus’ different.”

“Mhmm,” she nods.

“Look, it don’t matter what I think. I ain’t never had nothin’ more than a shitty Charlie Brown tree anyway.”

Soledad gives him a pout. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Nah,” he agrees. “But that didn’t stop Celia from tossing it out a window only a few days before Christmas.”

In the short time Soledad and Coco have known each other, he’s barely talked much about his mother. And when he does, she’s simultaneously glad she’ll never have to meet someone so terrible and angry that she’ll never be able to give that woman a piece of her mind. It usually doesn’t feel right to feel so much hate for someone who’s dead, but Soledad makes an exception for Celia.

She reaches her hand out to him, their fingers brushing before he lets her take his hand and pull him to her. “I know the holidays ain’t your thing and they can be really lonely,” she says. “But it’s not all bad. You and Letty can make new memories.”

Coco takes in her words before nodding. “Yeah, Leticia’s not at my level of fucked up just yet,” he says. Soledad gives a short laugh and he takes a step closer, almost hovering over her. “You’ve been really good to her. Thank you.”

He leans in and Soledad meets him halfway in a kiss. She presses against him, his tongue sliding into her mouth, and it takes all she has not to go further. Coco ‘s hand is on her cheek as he deepens the kiss and she has to remind herself that they’re still in the shop in the middle of the day.

The loud slam of a car door breaks Soledad out of her haze and she pulls back. When no one enters the shop, she flickers her eyes up to Coco and finds him smirking at her.

“Damn, chula. I should thank you more often.”

Soledad pushes Coco away but the smile that breaks across her face tells him she’s far from mad at him. The phone rings and Soledad rushes behind the counter to answer it. She grabs a pen and pad of paper, writing down the customer’s order and gives them an estimated price and time of pickup. Coco watches as she does this, taking note of what she says. She hangs up the phone and places the order to the side, already thinking of putting together the arrangement.

“You really workin’ tomorrow? On Nochebuena?”

She looks up at the question. “Just in case of some last minute orders, y’know?” she answers with a shrug. “Don’t worry, I won’t make Letty work.”

“You don’t got no plans?”

Soledad gives another shrug, looking down. “Working is a plan.”

Coco observes her as she turns around, taking out the inventory needed for the new order. The holidays can be really lonely, he remembers she said, and he starts to wonder if that’s a statement that rings true for her.

Her back still to him, he waits for her to turn back around and says, “Talk to me, Sol.”

She sighs heavily, placing her materials on the counter and tilts her head up to face him. “I’ve been trying to put on a front but… I just haven’t really been in the Christmas spirit this year.”

“A front for who?” Coco asks, his brows knitting together. “Letty? You don’t gotta–”

“No,” she interrupts him. “For myself, really. I usually love Christmas but this year with my mom gone and everything…” she tries to explain. “It’s like I dunno what to do with myself without her.”

Having a mother on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, Coco can’t relate. But he can’t ignore the sadness he hears in Soledad’s voice. “What did you used to do?”

“Just regular stuff,” she shrugs. “Decorate the tree and around the house. We even made our own ornaments and decorations sometimes. I always complained about how long it took, but I’m gonna miss making a million tamales with her,” she says with a laugh. “It was nothing all that special but it was with her, y’know?”

“You can still do all that,” he says, before his lips quirk up in a small smile and he adds, “Especially the tamales.” Soledad snorts in spite of herself. “For real, though. You should come by the clubhouse,” Coco suggests.

“Christmas at the clubhouse?” she asks, eyebrow raised at the idea.

“Yeah, why not? What’s better than spendin’ the most wonderful time of year with a bunch of outlaws?”

“Sounds tempting,” Soledad laughs.

“C’mon, no shit ever really goes down on Christmas, I swear. It’s just the MC and family friends. Vicki and her girls come by sometimes. Shit, they even bring tamales, too.”

“I didn’t realize Vicki’s girls were so multi talented.”

“Hey, you’d be surprised.” Coco smirks at her and Soledad reaches over the counter to playfully shove at his shoulder, making him laugh. “Seriously, mujer. You should come by.”

“Come by where?”

Letty’s return now acknowledged, Coco straightens himself up at the counter. Soledad hides her eye roll and answers, “To the clubhouse for Christmas.”

“You should, Sol! Hank and Bishop actually told me to invite you when I was over there the other day, I almost forgot.”

“They did?” Soledad and Coco ask Letty at the same time. Coco looks over at Soledad and adds a “See?”

“Yeah,” Letty confirms. “You weren’t gonna work _all_ Christmas, were you?”

Soledad shrugs in response. “Just tomorrow for some order pickups.”

“That’s not gonna take all day! You’ll be done with plenty of time to go the clubhouse. Please, Sol?” Letty clasps her hands together, bringing them up under her chin as if to beg her.

“Fine,” Soledad concedes, laughing in amusement at Letty’s theatrics.

Coco leaves as Soledad and Letty make their plans to drive to the clubhouse together. He’s never been one for the holiday spirit, and he’ll deny it completely, but he thinks he might be feeling it this year. Just a glimmer, if nothing else.

* * *

Soledad locks up the shop at 4:30pm on Christmas Eve. Still too early to head to the clubhouse, she goes home to get ready. After showering, doing her hair and makeup, and changing her outfit three times, she finally hears from Letty.

“Ready whenever you are,” she tells her. Soledad doesn’t want to wait around the house for the “perfect” time, so she decides she’s ready. She looks over her appearance one last time, makes sure she has everything, and heads back to her car.

Letty pops out of Coco’s front door the minute she arrives. She greets Soledad as she climbs into the passenger seat. “What’s all that?” she asks, noting the gift bag in the backseat.

“I, uhh, got some gifts to give everyone.”

“You really went out and got them gifts?” Letty asks in surprise. “Fuck, Sol, you really are too nice.”

“I’ve had them for a couple weeks, actually,” Soledad mumbles as she begins to drive.

“Still too fuckin’ nice.”

“Got you somethin’, too.”

“Did I ever tell you you’re my favorite boss?”

They crack a smile at each other and Soledad starts to feel glad that she took Letty and Coco up on their offer.

Though still pretty early, the clubhouse is swarming with people. Letty immediately heads off in search of food while Soledad walks through the crowd. When she happens to bump into one of the guys, she gives them their Christmas gift. Each one admonishes her for spending money on them, especially the older guys, but still take the token at her insistence. As Soledad moves around, she’s surprised to see there’s even decorations up around the clubhouse. Colorful lights are strewn up around the bar, amid various beer bottles and cans. There are ornaments hanging on random items throughout the space in an attempt for a “festive” look – and though the decorations are half assed, she has to admit that it actually works for the MC. Soledad suddenly stops short and scoffs when she sees a cactus with ornaments and lights all over it.

“You made it.”

Soledad looks at Coco, now by her side. She tries to ignore how good he looks, a Snapback placed backwards on his head, and gestures at the cactus. “And you were really givin’ me shit about _my_ tree?”

“Hey, I had nothin’ to do wit’ this,” he says, his hands up in defense.

“Uh huh,” she laughs at him. She reaches into the little gift bag and pulls out a small box, handing it over to him with a “Merry Christmas, Johnny.”

Coco eyes the tiny gift in her hand. “Fuck is this?” he asks.

“Open it and find out.”

“Nah, you didn’t have to get me nothin’,” he argues. “Fuck, Sol, I don’t got anything to give back to you.”

“Doesn’t matter. Take it,” she says and thrusts it into his chest.

Coco scratches at his chin, his eyes flickering to hers before he sighs and takes the gift. He places his cigarette between his lips to open it with both hands, scoffing out a laugh once unwrapped. “You know me well, chula,” he says as he looks at the lighter.

“Turn it over.”

He turns the lighter over in his hand, the MC emblem adorned on the stainless steel. “Damn, that’s fuckin’ nice,” Coco murmurs, his thumb rubbing across the design. He looks to her, nodding his head once and thanks her.

“Like it?”

“Fuck yeah,” he answers. “Might have to hide it so these pendejos won’t steal it.”

“I got one for all the guys,” she admits.

“Wow,” Coco says, throwing his head back in exaggerated shock and disappointment. “Here I was, thinkin’ I was special.”

“Don’t worry,” she assures him, leaning in close. “I got somethin’ else for you later. And it’s _all yours_.”

Coco’s eyebrows raise at her teasing; this side of Soledad usually only comes out when they’re alone. He checks their surroundings, his sharp eyes making sure none of his brothers are too close by. “Don’t make me drag you out to Boy Scout’s trailer, chula,” he warns in a low voice.

“Don’t threaten me with a good time, Cruz.”

They practically jump apart when Gilly pops up beside them. He’s laughing loudly, telling Coco about some dumb thing Angel did, and starts to pull him over to the other side of the clubhouse. Coco looks over his shoulder to Soledad, she gives a small laugh and mouths “later”, and he nods.

The party goes on throughout the night. Coco was right, no shit goes down on Christmas. Soledad has a better time than she imagined she would. She talks with some of the guys, the randoms that pop up, and Vicki and some of her girls. She even eats a ton of their tamales, and when they start to play lotería and toma todo, Soledad is one of the first to join.

She’s in the middle of a game when Coco sides up next to her. “It’s getting late, mujer. Time for my other gift yet?”

“Lemme win this first,” she says, her turn to spin about to come up.

Coco watches, amused, as Soledad takes the wooden topper between her fingers, twisting it back and forth on the tabletop a couple times before letting it spin around freely. It stops, landing on the table, the words “toma todo” signaling that she wins the round. Everyone else groans as she smiles and grabs all the dollars and coins in the middle of the table.

“That’s it for me. I’m out,” she tells them, throwing her winnings into her purse.

“Hey, gimme a chance to win my money back!” some guy playing with them protests, but quickly shuts up when Coco glares at him.

They head outside, into the dark, calm night of Christmas Eve, and walk over to a picnic table behind the clubhouse.

“What happened to Ez’s trailer?” Soledad teases once they sit down.

“Someone beat us to it.”

“Poor Ezekiel,” she laughs.

They’re silent for a moment, the muffled sounds of the party filling the air. Soledad leans back, elbows behind her on the picnic tabletop as she looks up at the stars. She can feel Coco’s eyes on her, her face illuminated by the moonlight.

“I’m glad you came tonight,” he tells her.

“I’m glad you asked me.”

Soledad feels Coco’s hand at the back of her neck, bringing her face close to his for a kiss. She gasps at the sudden movement and Coco takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss. His hand moves to cup her cheek, rough and warm against her skin. She brings her own hand up, her fingers trailing up and down his arm as she moves impossibly closer to him. She’s close to straddling his lap when she pulls back for air. They breathe heavily against one another, attempting to catch their breath.

“Merry Christmas, Johnny,” she tells him again in a whisper.

Coco swallows hard. “Merry Christmas, Sol,” he replies.

“I got somethin’ else for you.”

“Oh, yeah?” he asks, his grip tightening around her waist.

“Not that,” she laughs.

Soledad leans back and reaches over to her purse. Coco’s brows knit together in curiosity as he watches her movements. She takes something out and hands it to him.

“Your other gift,” she explains. Coco opens his mouth and before he can argue, Soledad adds, “Don’t tell me I shouldn’t have got you anything. It’s too late and it’s nonrefundable. Open it.”

Coco shakes his head with a scoff. Soledad tries to move away from his lap so he can open it but he holds her even closer. “Don’t try and run away,” he jokingly scolds her as he tears at the wrapping paper. “Enabling all my bad habits this Christmas, huh?” he asks once the gift is revealed.

Soledad rolls her eyes. “What happened to just knowing you well?”

“You’re an enabler who knows me well,” he remarks, looking between her and the flask. “I like it, though.”

Soledad takes the chance to give him a quick kiss.

“Those babosos are definitely gon’ try and steal this one,” Coco says, raising the flask.

“Well, if they do…” Soledad pauses, taking the flask from him and moving so he can see it better in the moonlight.

Coco suddenly realizes that it’s personalized, his initials engraved on the item. A sudden feeling washes over him – it’s new and causes a weird feeling in his throat. He swallows, hoping to make it go away, and takes the flask back in his hand. His fingers trail over the initials. “Never got nothin’ like this before.”

“A flask?” Soledad questions.

“A Christmas present, somethin’ that was just for me,” he explains. “Anytime I ever got somethin’ as a kid, which wasn’t a lot, Celia–” he pauses to shake his head in anger. “She’d end up fuckin’ pawning that shit before New Year’s.”

Soledad’s heart breaks for Coco. She leans into him, her hand reaching up to play with his hair, something she learned soothes him. “This is for nobody else but you,” she whispers to him – and hopes he gets the double meaning of her words.

* * *

Letty stumbles outside, in search for either Coco or Soledad. She already looked everywhere for them inside the clubhouse and has no clue where either of them went. Her eye catches sudden movement, and she moves slowly to take a better look. She stops short when she finds Coco and Soledad together, hugged up and kissing at the picnic table.

A smile stretches across Letty’s face – _she fucking knew it_. Those two aren’t slick. Quietly, she steps backwards towards the clubhouse. She’ll ask Chucky for a ride home instead.


End file.
